FESTIVAL EMCEES

Steve "MC Rico" Heilig
Steve Heilig is a longtime reggae and world music journalist, promoter, radio deejay, and enthusiast. While still in school, he began his music writing career with an interview with Bob Marley. For two decades, he was a critic and columnist for The BEAT, a leading world music publication, for which he interviewed such figures as Carlos Santana, Milton Nascimiento, Alton Ellis, Lee Scratch Perry, Gilberto Gil, Ijahman, Femi Kuti, Bob Andy, Burning Spear, Thomas Mapfumo, Mickey Hart, Ali Akbar Khan, Zakir Hussain, Baaba Maal, Jimmy Cliff, Bunny Wailer, and many more. He was also a volunteer and then staff member at Reggae On The River for many years, helping manage things backstage and onstage. He has attended and covered the SNWMF since the beginning. He's played drums for a number of relatively unknown musical outfits, although once very nervously sat in with the late Latin percussion legends Mongo Santamaria and Tito Puente in
a funky restaurant in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

Spliff Skankin'
Reggae music is life to this talented spinmaster and MC. Since the
late 80’s, Spliff has been sharing his “go with the flow” reggae
music mix with KPFA listeners as well as being renown on the club
scene both as an MC and also as a resident DJ for Massive Sound
International..

Junor Francis
Since 1987, Jamaican-born Junor
Francis has been hosting and
producing "The
Reggae Connection" on the
Claremont College-based,
non-profit KSPC 88.7 FM.
He can also be heard on the
Loyola Marymount
University-based KXLU 88.9FM
with "The Reggae Show." Whether
as a Master of Ceremonies, a
journalist or a radio
personality, Junor is one of
California's premier reggae
historians. He can often
be found at festivals deeply
entangled in intense interviews
and discussions with reggae
artists. Whether reasoning
with a living legend or a rising
star, Junor is able to make a
meaningful and significant
'reggae connection' with his
deep knowledge of the music of
Jamaica coupled with his unique
insights into all the artists
within the reggae fraternity.

Sweet-T
Tanesha aka Sweet-T is the Host/Owner of the Rocksteady Reggae Radio Show, every Thursday live from 12am-2am at Vallejo's famous Ozcat Radio 89.5FM. Her hilarious & bubbly personality combines with her love for the music and her community. For 4 1/2 years now she's been setting the airwaves and stages on fyah with her electric spark and radio show, playing tunes and getting interviews from local and international artists, plus covering concerts and festivals. This will be her second year as an MC at SNWMF.

Systa
bb
For the past 25 years Systa bb has been producing/presenting radio, MCing n Djing, Curating Film n Music Festivals n sharing the music that binds us. From her current radio show “The Good, The Dub & The Global” on RRR in Melbourne, Australia to lighting up the dancefloor at Jamaica Jump Up n Newport Ska, Reggae & Rocksteady Festival she brings community in all she does. Lee Scratch Perry, LKJ, Dub Syndicate, Tony Allen, Femi Kuti n Natacha Atlas are all artists she's played with as well as appearing at many festivals & industry conferences, talking radio.
She ain't done yet……